To become a volunteer please follow these simple steps: 

1. Read through the web site or handouts and know what the project is about. We have information on How To Measure Precipitation, How To Measure Snow, and How To Measure Hail as well as information on the Equipment used.

2. Make sure you have a rain gauge. You may purchase a rain gauge from WeatherYourWay.com and various vendors for approx. $33.00 (plus shipping and handling).  They are very nice gauges that measure in hundredths of an inch. We ask that your rain gauge be a 4" diameter all-weather gauge or better.

3. Pick up a few hail pads (state dependent as not all states are measuring hail) from CoCoRaHS Headquarters in Fort Collins or from your county's local coordinator.  Make sure you have read the help pages listed above so that you know how to use them. 

4. Go to our "Join CoCoRaHS" web page and sign up.

5. Either attend a training session for volunteers in person, or view our Training Slide Shows and animations found on the CoCoRaHS home page.  It is also very beneficial to read through the Web site on-line training materials completely.  It is important to know how CoCoRaHS observers make and report their measurements.  Good training along with careful observing and reporting are very important to the network and the users of our data. 

6. Feel free to Contact Us with any questions that you may have.

7. Report your data daily on our Web site (www.cocorahs.org).  If you are unable to report on the Web you may obtain CoCoRaHS Precipitation measurement forms from CoCoRaHS Headquarters or you may print your own by clicking here: CoCoRaHS Precipitation Measurement Forms. You may also obtain Hail Report Cards in a similar fashion: CoCoRaHS Hail Report Cards.

8. Let a relative or friend know about CoCoRaHS. It makes it much more interesting for the observer when there are other observations showing up on their county maps.